Archive for February, 2010
Unfortunately, dog food aggression is one of the top behavioral problems among dogs today. It is the number one killer of shelter dogs and can be the result of poor treatment in the past. Dog food aggression often comes from previous starvation or from an over inflated sense of leadership on behalf of the dog.
Rescue dogs are the most likely to suffer from dog food aggression. This is quite often because they lost their source of food at one time or another. Ironically, some dogs will sort of “outgrow” it when they realize that the supply of food is constant and steady, but this is rare. If you have brought a rescue in that is having issues at feeding time with other dogs, always feed them separately.
A dog that has been previously starved will have a much higher tendency toward dog food aggression than one that has always had a constant supply of food. Some dogs will figure out that they no longer have to guard their resources when they realize that they have security in the midst of everything else. Others need a reminder that they are not in charge.
Start by feeding your dog more often in smaller amounts. This means more work for you because you are not only going to have to supervise him but you are also going to have to work with him. Keep him secured at both ends of the leash and be sure that any humans will not be harmed should the dog become excessively aggressive. Keeping him leashed gives you the chance to work with him without the prospect of becoming his bite victim.
Do not feed the dog table scraps or any other form of people food. Keep him away from meal time for the humans. He needs a direct distinction between his food and yours. Do not permit children to run around with food around the dog.
A yardstick makes an effective tool for curbing dog food aggression. No, don’t hit him with it. But at the first sign of tension remove the bowl with a correction. It’s recommended that you leash the dog when eating for this exercise. Secure the other end of the leash to something solid so when you remove the bowl he has to earn it back.
Make him sit and calm down before returning the bowl. Never use your hands. Push it back with the yard stick. In order to prevent this type of aggression, you should always make sure your dog is in the seated position and waits for you to release him before eating. This teaches him that you are the boss of when he eats, so being aggressive with you will never get him the meal he wants.
Make sure that you are not giving him mixed signals. Dog food aggression is a serious problem with devastating consequences. You have to be the one to remain consistent and keep training him to behave for his food. Over time you should start to notice that he understands that there is nothing for him to get worried about. If you are truly his leader, he will know that you will provide food for him.
Unfortunately, dog food aggression is one of the top behavioral problems among dogs today. It is the number one killer of shelter dogs and can be the result of poor treatment in the past. Dog food aggression often comes from previous starvation or from an over inflated sense of leadership on behalf of the dog.
Rescue dogs are the most likely to suffer from dog food aggression. This is quite often because they lost their source of food at one time or another. Ironically, some dogs will sort of “outgrow” it when they realize that the supply of food is constant and steady, but this is rare. If you have brought a rescue in that is having issues at feeding time with other dogs, always feed them separately.
A dog that has been previously starved will have a much higher tendency toward dog food aggression than one that has always had a constant supply of food. Some dogs will figure out that they no longer have to guard their resources when they realize that they have security in the midst of everything else. Others need a reminder that they are not in charge.
Start by feeding your dog more often in smaller amounts. This means more work for you because you are not only going to have to supervise him but you are also going to have to work with him. Keep him secured at both ends of the leash and be sure that any humans will not be harmed should the dog become excessively aggressive. Keeping him leashed gives you the chance to work with him without the prospect of becoming his bite victim.
Do not feed the dog table scraps or any other form of people food. Keep him away from meal time for the humans. He needs a direct distinction between his food and yours. Do not permit children to run around with food around the dog.
A yardstick makes an effective tool for curbing dog food aggression. No, don’t hit him with it. But at the first sign of tension remove the bowl with a correction. It’s recommended that you leash the dog when eating for this exercise. Secure the other end of the leash to something solid so when you remove the bowl he has to earn it back.
Make him sit and calm down before returning the bowl. Never use your hands. Push it back with the yard stick. In order to prevent this type of aggression, you should always make sure your dog is in the seated position and waits for you to release him before eating. This teaches him that you are the boss of when he eats, so being aggressive with you will never get him the meal he wants.
Make sure that you are not giving him mixed signals. Dog food aggression is a serious problem with devastating consequences. You have to be the one to remain consistent and keep training him to behave for his food. Over time you should start to notice that he understands that there is nothing for him to get worried about. If you are truly his leader, he will know that you will provide food for him.
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
Mike Morris writes about dog training at training dogs help.com For more help on this visit dog food aggression
Depending on what kind of dog you have, there are so many different recommendations on what types of dog food are and are not good for your dog. It is said that it is best to make dog food with dog food recipes at home by some, and others say that there is no substitute for a good brand of dog food, while others may say that any type of dog food is okay. If you are a first time dog owner, it can be hard to know who to listen to, and to really understand what is best for your dog, but you aren’t alone.
Puppy Food
If you have a puppy, it is always bet to feed him or her puppy food, at least until they get out of the puppy stage of their life. This varies from breed to breed and your veterinarian should be able to tell you for sure, but feeding your dog puppy food for at least one year is the best way to be sure that you aren’t cutting them off too soon. As far as brand names go, there are a lot of great brand name foods that your puppy would love; a few suggestions are Hill’s Science Diet, Eukanuba, Purina Puppy Chow, and more.
Brand Name: Necessity or No?
The less expensive a dog food is, the less likely it is to contain the meat and nutrients necessary for your dog to lead a happy and healthy life. The normal components of good dry dog food are food grease, meat, corn or wheat, rice and then some color extracts to make the dog look appealing. It is okay to buy the occasional bag of off brand food for the budgets’ sake, but making a habit of that is never a good idea. This can lead to weight loss, lethargy and health problems in your pet that are otherwise avoidable.
Should I Prepare Meals for Fido at Home?
Many people think that making home made dog food on the stove is the best thing for your dog, and while it is a good idea to add some variety to your pet’s food repertoire, it is not always a budget conscious or time conscious idea. There are many great recipes on the internet for dog food that you can make for your best friend, but it can get very pricey and time consuming, not to mention the fact that it can really put some weight on your dog, and that goes into a whole separate area of health problems. To keep weight problems down and prevent the ultimate spoiling of your pooch, keep the home cooked meals to a minimum, so they are viewed as a treat and are not something that your dog will expect.
Dog food is more than just what you feed your dog. If you are like any other pet owner, you want your dog to live as long and healthy of a life as possible and feeding them the right stuff is the best thing you can do to increase the quality of your lives together.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Michael Murray is an author of dog articles. Learn how to increase the lifespan of your dog by up to 134% in this special report: Click Here!
We all want what is best for our pet. Yet sometimes because of your hectic schedules, we tend to put our dog’s care at the bottom of the list or it just becomes a habit of chores we perform every day without giving it much thought.
We stumble out of bed in the morning, let the dog out, fill the water bowl, dump some food in the dish and go on with our daily routine. Are we really thinking about ways to make our dog healthy and happy?
There are no hard and fast rules to maintain your dog’s health but essentially it comes down to 3 main rules you need to follow:
1. A good diet
2. Plenty of fresh water
3. Exercise
A good diet is essential to your dog’s health. Be careful of what you feed your dog! Your dog has very little sense about what’s good and what’s bad for him to eat. So you have to take charge. An all natural dog food is what you should be looking for, try to avoid reconstituted foods that are packed with fillers and by-products. Remember you get what you pay for.
Although an all natural dog food may be more expensive, studies have shown that your dog will in almost all cases eat more of the “bargain brand” than the all natural, nutritious dog food. The “bargain brands” will pass through your dog more quickly because they do not contain as much of the daily nutrients your dog requires. This leads to your dog being hungrier more often and thereby eating more. Your dog will retain more of the nutrients contained in the all natural food which means they will be less hungry, have healthier coats, more energy and better overall health. Do not over-feed your dog – do not feed him between main meals, except for those small treats you reward your dog during training. Avoid feeding your dog with small bones of any kind from chicken, fish, chops etc as they can splinter in the throat or intestines and seriously hurting your dog in the process. Instead, give your dog a very large marrow or knuckle bone to chew on.
Give your dog plenty of fresh water. Change it as often as you can. A good rule to follow is that every time you get yourself something to drink, add new water to your dog’s bowl.
Exercise your dog daily. Most dogs love having playtime with their owners, take long walks, throw a ball or stick around the backyard or park. Remember your dog’s cardiovascular system, heart and muscles need exercise just like yours.
Also it is important to take your dog for regular checks and treatments with the veterinarian including things like worming, proper vaccinations and teeth cleaning. There are many diseases that you dog could face – fleas, ticks, worms, ear mites and infectious pests or parasites. While most of these afflictions are fairly common, preventative techniques and new treatment methods will reduce the discomfort or pain that your dog suffer from and ensure it leads a healthy life.
It is wise to spay or neuter your dog if you are not a breeder or do not wish to deal with a pregnancy. Neutering your male dog will make him less aggressive towards other male dogs but this reduced aggression does not mean you have impaired his ability to be a guard dog. A trained guard dog will do his job irrespective of whether he has been neutered or not. Other health benefits include eliminating crying, whining and irritability, eliminating the vaginal discharge that accompanies heat for a female dog, reducing territorial marking, minimising dominance issues with your family and reducing sexual mounting behaviour (leg-humping) in your dog.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
For more information and tips on Dog advice and care, check out our website: www.dog-advice.net
You have a dog and you want it to be as happier as possible. For that reason you have bough him the best collar, the best dog bed, use the services of the best vet in your area, spend a lot of time with him playing and teaching him to new tricks. Of course you buy him the best dog food.
However have you ever wondered that, similar to humans, dogs love to eat not only because they are hungry but because they enjoy it. For that reason not only the quality of food is important but its taste. If you want to spoil your dog from time to time with tasty dog treats, read on to find out some of the best home made dog treats.
You can prepare dog bites and give them some anytime you want to reward your dog for doing something correctly. Dogs love cheese and it is important for their health because of its components. Prepare cheesy bites using a cup of flour, some cheese, butter and half a cup of milk. Mix the ingredients together to make the dough, than roll it our and cut it into shapes. Bake them for 15 minutes and you are ready.
Another easy and healthy recipe for tasty dog treats is the vegetable bones recipe. Unlike cats, dogs love vegetables. Get some parsley, chopped carrots, cheese and olive oil, mix them with flour and baking powder and add some water. Roll the dough and cut shapes than bake for half and hour. This will give you hard biscuits that your dog will love. The recipe is very useful if you have a growing puppy as he can use the biscuits to massage his aching growing teethes.
Finally a dog treat recipe good for both of you. As a dog owner you know that your dog’s breath is not one of his strong sides. Usually dogs have bad breath. Now you can fight it with a tasty dog treat. All you need is some rice flour, one tablespoon of deactivated charcoal (you can buy it from any drugstore), three tablespoons canola oil, an egg, half a cup chopped fresh mint, and the same quantity chopped fresh parsley and a cup of milk. Mix these ingredients, get a teaspoon and make drops over an oily baking sheet. Then bake for 15 minutes. Give your dog some of these treats and you will soon feel the great advantage for his breath.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of www.dog-treats.info/ A website that specializes in providing tips on Dog treats that you can research on the internet. Visit www.dog-treats.info/ now!
1. HOW TO RAISE A PUPPY YOU CAN LIVE WITH, 4TH EDITION by Clarice Rutherford & David Neil
This puppy book starts way back with your breeder and steps you through all the processes to make sure you can raise a puppy the right way. It touches on the subjects of selecting breeders, bonding with puppies, discipline, house training, tricks and simple commands.
RAW DOG FOOD: MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG by Carina Beth MacDonald
This offbeat, light read received the Dog Writers of America Award for Best Book Under 100 pages for the year 2003. It is a funny, informative book on how raw diets can actually benefit dogs while being cost-efficient at the same time. This is a must-read book for those grappling with their dog’s diet.
2. CAUTIOUS CANINE, 2ND EDITION by Patricia McConnell
This book is so handy it could even benefit people. Patricia McConnell walks the reader through training techniques such as counter conditioning and desensitization to deal with behavioral problems and phobias. It works with people too.
3. RALLY-O: THE STYLE OF RALLY OBEDIENCE, 3RD EDITION by Charles ‘Bud’ Kramer
Rally obedience advocates an exciting and fun approach to dog obedience. It’s a surefire way for the dog and its owner to enjoy their training sessions. If one were to look for an effective, non-burdensome way to train to dogs, this should be in their shelves. ONE ON ONE – A DOG TRAINER’S GUIDE TO PRIVATE TRAINING by Nicole Wilde
An intimate training guide to those new to one-on-one training sessions. It is an easily understandable, yet comprehensive guide to private training and focuses on the intricacies of the training psyche and the dog’s response to such.
POSITIVE PERSPECTIVES: LOVE YOUR DOG, TRAIN YOUR DOG by Pat Miller
Almost a book about children. This groundbreaking read will change the way you view pet behavior management and pet upbringing. This comprehensive course emphasizes the emotional aspect of training and behavior modification. Also in this book: vaccination, training with treats, and housetraining.
BRINGING LIGHT TO SHADOW – A DOG TRAINER’S DIARY by Pamela Dennison
An inspirational story of how one trainer refused to give up on an ill-tempered dog with behavioral problems. It is a diary of sorts that deals with the issues, frustrations, solutions, and the patience it takes for one to deal with such difficult dogs. It is a fascinating read that should inspire every dog trainer.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Learn about dog crate training and info on house training a dog at The Dog Trainer site.
Dog food nutrition is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for your pet. Dogs, just like everyone else, have specific nutritional needs. Dogs lack the ability to communicate their problems, so it’s up to their owners to determine how healthy they are. Diet directly affects your dog’s skin and coat, weight, energy level, and gastrointestinal function. Diet, environmental toxins, pharmaceuticals and stress all play a part in the health of companion animals. Dog nutrition influences overall health, including skin and coat condition.
Feeding your dog can be done in three different ways: dog food purchased at the supermarket, dog food made at home or a combination of both. If you do decide to purchase commercial dog food I would suggest doing some reading up about it, in the past few years many commercial dog foods have had to be recalled due to contaminants that are found in dog food. Many dog owners are increasingly choosing holistic dog food, over the commercially available pet food, in a bid to introduce their dogs to a healthier, more balanced diet. Dog food should contain little or no fillers at all, but most of them do so your actually not giving your dog the correct diet it needs to be healthy. Many recipes can be found on the Internet for dog meals you can make from your home.
Aside from what you choose to feed your dog it is important to ensure that your dog is not be given access to food all the time. This can create obesity, which can create a variety of different illness for your dog. Free-feeding is also very unhelpful for the training of meal times in puppies and leaving food out in hot summer months can bring flies, mites and other various rodents out of the woodwork. It is suggested your dog is on a feeding schedule and remember to only give the amount prescribed by your vet, too much food can also create obesity. Remember, dogs are scavengers; an empty bowl is often a trigger for pleading or browsing behaviour and does not mean that your dog is starving.
Feeding your dog table scraps can also be a bad training and nutrition habit. Your dog will beg while you eat your dinner, which can be uncomfortable for guests but also human fats, and foods are not always good for your dog as they are for you. I suggest feeding your family while your dog eats his food in another room. This way he won’t feel left out.
Dogs have shorter digestive tracts than humans and larger chunks can upset your dogs’ stomach. Your dog needs a meat-based diet, high in protein (which isn’t stored as fat) and fat and low in carbohydrate.
Nutrition isn’t always about diet. Good nutrition leads to good health and so do many other things, such as exercise, keeping its weight down (through good nutrition and regular exercise) keeping its teeth clean (next to obesity, periodontal disease is the one most commonly seen in the vet’s office) getting it to the vet for regular check-ups being observant about symptoms that might indicate a health problem and getting prompt and appropriate veterinary attention (information below).
You might also want to consider alternative treatments for any sickness or allergy your dog has. These may include nutrition, herbs, acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage, as well as traditional medicines. These alternatives are all natural and better for your dog’s body than chemical drugs and have no side effects at all.
As more people understand the importance of nutrition to their own health, they’re starting to consider what’s in their dog’s food bowl as well. Maximum nutrition dog food can do a lot for your dog’s well being by improving its appearance, energy level and general state of health.
Learn what you should be feeding your dog at every stage of its life. By understanding what puppies eat in the wild, you will learn valuable clues as to what you should be feeding your domestic pup. The degree to which modern dogs experience ill health reflects the degree to which they are subjected to biologically inappropriate methods of feeding and exercising. If your dog constantly leaves some food in the bowl, you are probably feeding too much food. Maintain your dog’s nutrition, food, diet, and eating habits and he/she will live a joyful life with you and your loved ones.
Dog food nutrition is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for your pet. Dogs, just like everyone else, have specific nutritional needs. Dogs lack the ability to communicate their problems, so it’s up to their owners to determine how healthy they are. Diet directly affects your dog’s skin and coat, weight, energy level, and gastrointestinal function. Diet, environmental toxins, pharmaceuticals and stress all play a part in the health of companion animals. Dog nutrition influences overall health, including skin and coat condition.
Feeding your dog can be done in three different ways: dog food purchased at the supermarket, dog food made at home or a combination of both. If you do decide to purchase commercial dog food I would suggest doing some reading up about it, in the past few years many commercial dog foods have had to be recalled due to contaminants that are found in dog food. Many dog owners are increasingly choosing holistic dog food, over the commercially available pet food, in a bid to introduce their dogs to a healthier, more balanced diet. Dog food should contain little or no fillers at all, but most of them do so your actually not giving your dog the correct diet it needs to be healthy. Many recipes can be found on the Internet for dog meals you can make from your home.
Aside from what you choose to feed your dog it is important to ensure that your dog is not be given access to food all the time. This can create obesity, which can create a variety of different illness for your dog. Free-feeding is also very unhelpful for the training of meal times in puppies and leaving food out in hot summer months can bring flies, mites and other various rodents out of the woodwork. It is suggested your dog is on a feeding schedule and remember to only give the amount prescribed by your vet, too much food can also create obesity. Remember, dogs are scavengers; an empty bowl is often a trigger for pleading or browsing behaviour and does not mean that your dog is starving.
Feeding your dog table scraps can also be a bad training and nutrition habit. Your dog will beg while you eat your dinner, which can be uncomfortable for guests but also human fats, and foods are not always good for your dog as they are for you. I suggest feeding your family while your dog eats his food in another room. This way he won’t feel left out.
Dogs have shorter digestive tracts than humans and larger chunks can upset your dogs’ stomach. Your dog needs a meat-based diet, high in protein (which isn’t stored as fat) and fat and low in carbohydrate.
Nutrition isn’t always about diet. Good nutrition leads to good health and so do many other things, such as exercise, keeping its weight down (through good nutrition and regular exercise) keeping its teeth clean (next to obesity, periodontal disease is the one most commonly seen in the vet’s office) getting it to the vet for regular check-ups being observant about symptoms that might indicate a health problem and getting prompt and appropriate veterinary attention (information below).
You might also want to consider alternative treatments for any sickness or allergy your dog has. These may include nutrition, herbs, acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage, as well as traditional medicines. These alternatives are all natural and better for your dog’s body than chemical drugs and have no side effects at all.
As more people understand the importance of nutrition to their own health, they’re starting to consider what’s in their dog’s food bowl as well. Maximum nutrition dog food can do a lot for your dog’s well being by improving its appearance, energy level and general state of health.
Learn what you should be feeding your dog at every stage of its life. By understanding what puppies eat in the wild, you will learn valuable clues as to what you should be feeding your domestic pup. The degree to which modern dogs experience ill health reflects the degree to which they are subjected to biologically inappropriate methods of feeding and exercising. If your dog constantly leaves some food in the bowl, you are probably feeding too much food. Maintain your dog’s nutrition, food, diet, and eating habits and he/she will live a joyful life with you and your loved ones.
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
Copyright Ó 2009 Wilhelmina Ford To Learn All About Dog Nutrition, Check Out, Dog Nutrition: Myths, Facts & Reality.
Dogs should be living to age 20 or more. That’s their natural lifespan. But it’s being cut short by chemical toxicity in your dog’s environment and in commercial petfood, which is fed (to a greater or lesser extent) to over 90 per cent of pets in modern society.
Whether you feed your dog fresh meat or home prepared food as your primary food source, if you’re giving ANY commercial petfood to your dog, the chances are that you’re cutting your dog’s life short. Add to this the toxicity of most veterinary-prescribed and over the counter drugs, including your dog’s vaccinations, cortisone (given for a multitude of problems), and parasite treatments (worms, fleas, ticks, mites and so on), and you’ve got a chemical cocktail which is causing premature ageing and death in companion animals all over the industrialized world.
Does it have to be this way?
Pollutants affect us all to some degree, but there ARE a number of steps that you can take to minimise your dog’s exposure to toxic compounds that affect your dog’s health and longevity. There ARE chemical-free dog food programs. There ARE natural alternatives to most toxic drugs routinely given to your dog. And you CAN reduce the pollutants and chemicals that your dog is exposed to on a daily basis.
(c) 2005, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural health for dogs. For your free dog health report, click here. For info on detoxifying your dog’s system, click here.
A healthy dog is a thin dog. Unfortunately obesity in dogs in a major health problem in pets. Food is a primary motivator for most dogs and the more the better. But more food isn’t good for your dog. Canines are carnivores. Most carnivores eat until there isn’t anything left to eat. That works if you’re a wolf and you’ve just brought down a deer. It could be several days or a week before you get anything much else to eat. Other members of your pack may be competing with you for a place at the “table,” so to speak. Stuffing yourself with as much as you can hold makes sense. It isn’t easy helping your dog lose weight but you can do it.
That same instinct is what drives domesticated dogs to overeat. They don’t know how much is good for them so they keep eating until there isn’t anything left. There are even dogs who have had to be taken to the emergency clinic because they’ve eaten an entire sheet cake and their stomachs are literally ready to burst.
Check with your vet for the right amount of food for your dog based on his weight (the dog’s not the vet’s) age and activity levels. The amounts suggested on dog food packages may or may not be accurate. Just because it says that 2 dry cupfuls a day is what a 20 pound dog should be eating that doesn’t mean it’s the right amount of food for your dog. Pet food companies are in the business to make money so they want you to buy as much dog food as possible.
Measure the food by a cup, don’t just dump it in the bowl figuring it’s close enough. After several weeks check your dog to see if he’s gaining or losing weight by feeling his ribs or weighing him. Many vets will welcome the opportunity to help you weight your pet every few weeks or so without charge.
Make sure any snacks or treats are included in what you feed the dog. Just like humans, dogs can gain weight because they snack too much. Put the day’s daily snack ration in a plastic bag so you won’t be tempted to overfeed. Raw veggies and fruits make good snacks (for both you and your dog). Slice raw carrots, cucumbers, apples and so forth to be at the ready for snack time.
If you and your vet have decided your pooch needs to peel off some pounds, consider supplementing his reduced amount of food with string beans. Canned strings beans work well. Look for the no added salt variety. Add the string beans to his supper so his tummy feels full.
Of course whenever you change a dog’s diet go slowly to avoid digestive problems.
Help your dog lose weight. Keep your dog healthy and at the right weight.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Free report Keep Your Dog Healthy and Safe. Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books and the two legged companion of Rose, the Irish Setter and Kate, the English Springer Spaniel. They give two paws up to Dee’s healthy dog food recipes
Recently, there has been talk and questions about what is the best thing to feed your dog? Some people advocate the BARF or bones and raw food diet. Some feel that raw bones should be fed as a supplement to the dogs regular diet, and some believe an all meat diet is best. The simple truth is, a meat based, high quality dry food is the best solution. The cheap grocery store brands of dry dog food are made up mostly of grain, usually corn. Read the ingredients on the bag and look for protein, fat and Omega-3 fatty acid content. There should be at least 30% protein and at least 18% fat, as well as the Omega-3 fatty acids for immune system health, cell function, energy production and metabolism. These fatty acids also aid neurological development. Calcium and phosphorous are needed for teeth and bone development.
Some specific ingredients to look for when choosing a dry food for your dog or puppy include, lamb meal, which is better than just lamb because the lamb includes moisture content, which is not as optimal. Also, poultry meal, usually chicken, but not poultry by-product. Fat content is also important, but look for poultry tallow as the fat source as it is more easily digested than animal fat, which could come from anywhere or anything. Keep in mind that if you feed your dog a cheap, grain-based food, you will need to feed him twice as much to satisfy his hunger and you still would not provide the nutritional balance he needs.
If you dog develops a food allergy, it will be due to a specific ingredient, no matter which brand you feed your dog. Your vet will help you pinpoint the problem and decide the best food for your dogs particular allergy. Some indications of food allergy include, coat and skin problems (hotspots) and digestive or even respiratory symptoms. A change of food will take at least 8 weeks before you see an improvement.
What about treats? Are they part of a balanced diet for your dog? The answer is yes. In moderation treats are good for your pet. Try to get treats that do not contain a high amount of soybean and artificial color. Fruit, except for grapes and raisins are a good choice, as they are toxic to dogs. My 3 Dobermans like apples, watermelon and bananas. They can also have bits of cooked beef or chicken. In addition to treats, it is a good idea to provide your dog or puppy with a high quality, human grade pet vitamin. These supplements provide antioxidants, which fight cancer causing free radicals, as well as digestive enzymes needed for digestion that are lost in processing of dry dog food.
The older or senior dog requires some special feeding care. How do you know when your dog should be considered a senior? It actually depends on the size of the dog. Because large dogs do not tend to live as long as small dogs, a dog weighing 91 pounds can be feed a senior formula. Up to 90 pounds, a dog can be considered senior at age 6. Some of the health changes older dogs face are dental problems, obesity and failing eyesight. They require fewer calories but not decreased protein.
I just want to say a word here about nutrition for large breed puppies. The quality dog food brands have developed a special formula for puppies that will grow to be over 65 pounds. This is important because too much development too quickly can cause bone and joint problems as the puppy grows. The puppy should be well fed, but not overweight. The balance of nutrition in the large breed formulas is designed to prevent puppies growing too big too fast. I hope this helps answer some of the questions about what and how to feed your dog or puppy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
Recently, there has been talk and questions about what is the best thing to feed your dog? Some people advocate the BARF or bones and raw food diet. Some feel that raw bones should be fed as a supplement to the dogs regular diet, and some believe an all meat diet is best. The simple truth is, a meat based, high quality dry food is the best solution. The cheap grocery store brands of dry dog food are made up mostly of grain, usually corn. Read the ingredients on the bag and look for protein, fat and Omega-3 fatty acid content. There should be at least 30% protein and at least 18% fat, as well as the Omega-3 fatty acids for immune system health, cell function, energy production and metabolism. These fatty acids also aid neurological development. Calcium and phosphorous are needed for teeth and bone development.
Some specific ingredients to look for when choosing a dry food for your dog or puppy include, lamb meal, which is better than just lamb because the lamb includes moisture content, which is not as optimal. Also, poultry meal, usually chicken, but not poultry by-product. Fat content is also important, but look for poultry tallow as the fat source as it is more easily digested than animal fat, which could come from anywhere or anything. Keep in mind that if you feed your dog a cheap, grain-based food, you will need to feed him twice as much to satisfy his hunger and you still would not provide the nutritional balance he needs.
If you dog develops a food allergy, it will be due to a specific ingredient, no matter which brand you feed your dog. Your vet will help you pinpoint the problem and decide the best food for your dogs particular allergy. Some indications of food allergy include, coat and skin problems (hotspots) and digestive or even respiratory symptoms. A change of food will take at least 8 weeks before you see an improvement.
What about treats? Are they part of a balanced diet for your dog? The answer is yes. In moderation treats are good for your pet. Try to get treats that do not contain a high amount of soybean and artificial color. Fruit, except for grapes and raisins are a good choice, as they are toxic to dogs. My 3 Dobermans like apples, watermelon and bananas. They can also have bits of cooked beef or chicken. In addition to treats, it is a good idea to provide your dog or puppy with a high quality, human grade pet vitamin. These supplements provide antioxidants, which fight cancer causing free radicals, as well as digestive enzymes needed for digestion that are lost in processing of dry dog food.
The older or senior dog requires some special feeding care. How do you know when your dog should be considered a senior? It actually depends on the size of the dog. Because large dogs do not tend to live as long as small dogs, a dog weighing 91 pounds can be feed a senior formula. Up to 90 pounds, a dog can be considered senior at age 6. Some of the health changes older dogs face are dental problems, obesity and failing eyesight. They require fewer calories but not decreased protein.
I just want to say a word here about nutrition for large breed puppies. The quality dog food brands have developed a special formula for puppies that will grow to be over 65 pounds. This is important because too much development too quickly can cause bone and joint problems as the puppy grows. The puppy should be well fed, but not overweight. The balance of nutrition in the large breed formulas is designed to prevent puppies growing too big too fast. I hope this helps answer some of the questions about what and how to feed your dog or puppy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
Joseph M. Sabol is a world class Doberman breeder. Please go to petvitamins4u.com or to theroadhousedobes.com for further information
Your Dachshund could be suffering if they’re not eating dog health food. There are more and more stories about dangerous additives finding their way into your dog food. It is really vital to know what is really going into your dog’s food if you want them to live a long and healthy life.
With companies around the world looking for ways to increase their profits, you have to question if they are going to justify the expense of high quality ingredients. With many sources of cheap protein available now, who knows how it was produced, under what conditions and if it even has any real nutritional value for your dog?
With so many cases of profits being put before the health of humans, what is being done to our beloved dogs? By taking waste products from human food production and putting them in to dog food, there has been a huge increase in diet related health problems in recent years.
In 2007 over 100 different brands of dog food were recalled after contaminated ingredients caused the deaths of a number of dogs and made many more very ill. Eventually it was found to be melamine in rice protein and wheat gluten, from a factory in China. This means that there could be anything in your dog food no matter what the standards are in the US factory. Also there is very little nourishment in these grains for dogs. Usually it’s just a filler to add bulk to the food.
Recently there was a case of melamine being found in milk powder that had been produced under the much stricter human food production standards. This leads me to think that it’s only a matter of time before there’s another contaminated batch of dog food released, and I certainly don’t want to have my puppy suffer as a result of not taking action. We now need to be aware of how safe the food we are feeding to our dog is, not just if it has the right nutrition in it.
Now we have to have a look at the actual nutritional value of your dog food. More and more it’s becoming accepted practice to bulk out dog food with rice and corn proteins. These proteins are an unusable by product of the human food industry, until someone realised that they would fall under the definition of protein and could therefore be added to dog food. While plant proteins are fine, there just isn’t a lot of nutrition for a dog. Even if they were whole proteins rather than the highly processed ones that are added, a very small amount would be sufficient for a dogs diet. However, there is all to often more plant protein than animal. This isn’t going to help your Dachshund stay healthy and free of disease.
Lately fish protein is being hailed as a great source of protein, which is true. However, along with that protein comes a toxic preservative that has been linked to severe allergies and cancer. So be wary of fish meal in your dog food
This is just the start of what could be going into the food that your Dachshund is eating every day. By learning about dog health food you could add years of life to your best friend. If you make it yourself you will know exactly what is in your dog’s food, and best of all it’s great fun.
Your Dachshund could be suffering if they’re not eating dog health food. There are more and more stories about dangerous additives finding their way into your dog food. It is really vital to know what is really going into your dog’s food if you want them to live a long and healthy life.
With companies around the world looking for ways to increase their profits, you have to question if they are going to justify the expense of high quality ingredients. With many sources of cheap protein available now, who knows how it was produced, under what conditions and if it even has any real nutritional value for your dog?
With so many cases of profits being put before the health of humans, what is being done to our beloved dogs? By taking waste products from human food production and putting them in to dog food, there has been a huge increase in diet related health problems in recent years.
In 2007 over 100 different brands of dog food were recalled after contaminated ingredients caused the deaths of a number of dogs and made many more very ill. Eventually it was found to be melamine in rice protein and wheat gluten, from a factory in China. This means that there could be anything in your dog food no matter what the standards are in the US factory. Also there is very little nourishment in these grains for dogs. Usually it’s just a filler to add bulk to the food.
Recently there was a case of melamine being found in milk powder that had been produced under the much stricter human food production standards. This leads me to think that it’s only a matter of time before there’s another contaminated batch of dog food released, and I certainly don’t want to have my puppy suffer as a result of not taking action. We now need to be aware of how safe the food we are feeding to our dog is, not just if it has the right nutrition in it.
Now we have to have a look at the actual nutritional value of your dog food. More and more it’s becoming accepted practice to bulk out dog food with rice and corn proteins. These proteins are an unusable by product of the human food industry, until someone realised that they would fall under the definition of protein and could therefore be added to dog food. While plant proteins are fine, there just isn’t a lot of nutrition for a dog. Even if they were whole proteins rather than the highly processed ones that are added, a very small amount would be sufficient for a dogs diet. However, there is all to often more plant protein than animal. This isn’t going to help your Dachshund stay healthy and free of disease.
Lately fish protein is being hailed as a great source of protein, which is true. However, along with that protein comes a toxic preservative that has been linked to severe allergies and cancer. So be wary of fish meal in your dog food
This is just the start of what could be going into the food that your Dachshund is eating every day. By learning about dog health food you could add years of life to your best friend. If you make it yourself you will know exactly what is in your dog’s food, and best of all it’s great fun.
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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